Boll-weevil catcher.



T. c. HINES.

BOLL WEEVIL CATCHER. APPLICATION FILED AUG.10.19I7- Patented Jam; 8,1918.

2 SEEETSSHEET l- WITNESSES ATTORNEY INVENTOR D hane has on.

tion with an ordinary cultivator of any su table well known construction so that'the infestedleavesand punctured squares may be gathered at the time of plowing the cotton withoutadditional labor or expense for this purpose. e

A further object of the invention is to pro duce a boll weevil catcher of extremely simple and inexpensive construction in connection with means for connecting the same with the frame of a cultivator in such a manner thatit may be conveniently raised or lowered fortransportation and for'operation in the most eflicient manner.

A further obj ect of the invention is to produc a imple and efficientbollweevil catcher comprising side members Suspended from a supporting frame, means being provided whereby SELICl side members maybe varlously spaced apart to permit passagetherebetween of g p ants of various sizes.

With these and other endsin view which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, theisame consistsin the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying "drawing has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitatlon is necessarlly made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifica-' tions within the scope of the claims may be resorted towhen desired.

, In the drawing,

Figure '1 is a view in side elevation showing thefimproved boll weevil catcher applied to a cultivator in position for operation. r i Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

THOMAS CLAUDE HINES, 01F RI ELEY, MISSISSIPPI.

ZBOLL-WEEVIL CATCI-IER. i. 7 Specification of Letters Patent! p t t ar a, 19 s,,

Application file d'August w, 191*). Serial No. 185,567. M

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation.

Fig. 4c is a perspective viewshowing' the boll Weevil catcher detached from the cultivator, parts having been broken away.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional detail view of galvanized metal or other no'n-corrodible materlalby shaping orcbending the same so s o form a trough 15 having at the outer edge thereof an upwardly extending wall portion, 16. These troughs maybe of substantlally senn-circular cross section as seen at the left side of Flg. 3, or they may be of substantially V-shaped cross section as seen at the right side of Fig. 3, no limitation being made as to the particular shape, but the V-shaped trough being considered preferable. The troughs 15 are beveled 0r pointed at their front ends and the material at the forward end of eachwall portion is shaped to form a cylindrical tube 17 lying adjacent to the outer faceof the wall portion and constituting a guard member to prevent injury to the plants that enter be tween the side members of the device. Each ofthe troughs is provided with a plurality of transverse partitions 18 forming compartments in which crude oil or some other insecticide may be placed, the partitlons serving to prevent the liability of overflow when the device is in motion. Secured on the inner face of each wall portion 1s a plurality of beaters 1 9, the same being 1n the nature of springs, the front ends of which are riveted upon or otherwise attached to the wall portions, the springs attached to the respective wall portions being so arranged as to converge in a rearward dII'GCtlOIl so as to offer no obstructionsto the passage of plants therebetween while, by the passage of plants, the springs will be vibrated so as to beat the plants, thereby detaching leaves and punctured squares and causing the same, as well as insects detached from the plants, to drop into the troughs onwhich they may be subsequently gathered andburned or otherwlse destroyed.-

Eachof the wall members 16 is provided adjacent to the front and rear ends thereof with upwardly extending straps 20 having terminal eyes 21 whereby they are hingedly connected with keepers 22-adjacent to the' front and rear ends of the side members 23 B are provided with stirrups 26 supporting a longitudinal frame bar 27 having a down-. wardly extending yoke 28. A substantiallyend with a cross bar 30 the ends ofwhich are connected with the side walls 16 by means of links 31. Connected with the upper end of the shaft 29 is a rearwardly extending arm or lever 32 by means of which the shaft may be rotated,'thereby actuating or swinging the side "members A so asto causethe troughs at the lower ends thereof to be spaced variously apart for the passage of plants of dif ferent sizes. The rear cross bar 25 of the frame B may be provided with notches 33 in which the lever 32 may be accommodated for the purpose of securing said lever and the parts controlled thereby in various adjusted positions.

Supported onthe tongue 3a or on some other suitable part of theframe structure .of a cultivator which is generally desig nated at C and which may be of any well known and approved construction, are trans verse shafts 35, said shafts being arranged in substantially parallel relation to each i other and each of said shafts having cranks 36 at the ends thereof. Connected with the said cranks are suspension members 37 provided at their lower ends with loops 38 when desired, .The shafts 35 are connected together so as to operate in unison by means 3 of a link or connecting rod 39, the ends of which are pivotally connected with arms 40 on the respective shafts. One .of said shafts is also equ pped with a hand lever tl having a stop member a2 engaging a rack segment 43 whereby thehand lever and the parts contherewith may be raised to a suitable positrolled thereby will be securely retained in adlusted position. It will be readily seen that by manipulating the hand lever 41 the supporting frame of the parts connected tion for transportation or lowered to a substantially ground engaging-position which is the preferred position for engaging, the plants when the machine is in operation.

From the foregoing descriptiontaken in connection with the drawings hereto an:

nexed the operation and advantages ofthis invention will be readilyunderstood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains.

The improved device may be manufactured and marketed at a very .moderate expense and it is capable of being very readily and conveniently applied or attached to almost any type of cultivatorof ordinary and well known construction, thus enabling the boll weevils infesting the plants to be gathered and destroyed at the time of cultivating the crop and without additional expense for Ilabor. The side members of the device may be variously spaced apart for proper mavertical shaft 29 which is: journaled in' the bar 27 and yoke 28 is provided at. its lower,

:1. In device of the ciassdescribeaga rectangular supporting frame having side members provided with keepers, wall members having strips provided with loops engaging the keepers to swingingly support the wall members, resilient beatersj on the: A inner faces of the wall members, andtroughs' formed at the lower ends thereof.

2. Adeviceof the class described,including side memberseach formed of a sheet produce a trough having an upwardly extending wall member at the outerredge thereof, the material at the forward end.

of the wall member; above the trough being bent to form a cylindrical tube'constitiiting p of metal by'bending or shaping the isame'to rectangular supporting frame, side members swingingly connected therewith, each of said: s de, members comprising 7 a wall member having resilient beaters on the inner face thereof. and a longitudinal trough lat its lower edge, a frame bar connected with and extending longitudinally of the supporting frame, a, yoke on said frame bar, a shaft journaled. in said yoke and frame barfand having a crossbar at itslowerjend, links connecting the ends of said cross bar'with the swingingly supported side members, and

an operating lever connected with theupper end of the shaft.

4.1m a device of the lclass described, a

rectangular supporting frame, side members swingingly connected therewith, each of said side members comprising. a wall member having resilient heaters on the inner face thereof and a longitudinalitrough at its loweredge, a frame bar connected with and extending longitudinally of the supporting frame, ayoke on said frame bar,.a shaft.

journaled in said yoke and framebarand Y having a cross bar at its loweifend, links con-j nectmg the ends of saidcross bar with the.

swingingly supported side members, and an operating lever connected with the upper end of the shaft, the, rear end member of the rectangularsupporting frame being provided with notches wherein the latter may be accommodated.

'2 beaters and gathering troughs connected therewith, a pair of rock shafts having cranks hnks connected W1th said cranks and provided at their lower ends with loops wherein the side members of the supporting frame are detachably mounted, and means for operating the rock shafts in unison and for securing them at various adjustments.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

THOMAS CLAUDE HINES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

